A fraction of a second and an incorrect lane choice separated Max Novak from victory in Marcialonga. The inner curve became the decisive factor that gave Andreas Nygaard his long-awaited win in the classic long-distance race.

Novak: “I would have rather stood there as the winner”

Max Novak had to settle for second place behind Andreas Nygaard in the first Grand Classic race of the season, Marcialonga. Despite a strong performance, an inner curve was Novak’s downfall in Marcialonga. Novak was disappointed after crossing the finish line.

Read More: Ski Classics Standings – Many changes after Marcialonga

In an interview with Langd.se, Novak reflected on the race and admitted that he could have changed the outcome had he acted differently.

“Of course, I would have rather stood there as the winner,” said a disappointed Novak.

Novak compared the situation to previous battles against Nygaard, particularly at Birkebeinerrennet a few years ago, where he also finished second behind the Norwegian.

“Back then, I entered the final stretch side by side with Nygaard. Then he just pulled away from me”, Novak recalled.

“That time, I didn’t go around pretending to be upset about finishing second. But now, I really felt like I had a chance. If I had taken the initiative on the final stretch, I would have given myself an even better opportunity“, he added.

The Inner Curve was Novak’s Downfall – The Decisive Factor

One crucial factor in the race was the choice of lane heading into the final stretch, something Novak believed he had under control.

“I knew that I should take the left lane or the inner curve coming into the final stretch. That gives you a shorter path“, Novak explained.

“It became a tough situation when Nygaard took the initiative from behind. I guess I was just caught off guard”, he admitted.

Immediately after the race, Novak was clearly frustrated: “I had every chance to win today but lost it because I didn’t take the inner curve“.

Looking back on the race with a more composed mindset, the 28-year-old remained self-critical. His main regret was his lane choice, but he also admitted to being too passive against Nygaard. He speculated that his confidence in winning was not entirely in place.

“If I had had a clearer plan… Let’s say I had won a race earlier in the season and felt like I was in a position to win. I’ve been a bit uncertain about my form. But then maybe I would have had a clearer plan”, he reflected.

Novak is Not Quite Prepared to Win?

But weren’t you prepared to win?

“I haven’t had the best confidence regarding ‘Marcan’ before. I’ve often collapsed a bit at the end. But I think having really good skis helped this time. Finally, I was able to ski through the entire valley and feel like I had control. That’s something I’ve almost never experienced before.”

Despite the disappointment of not winning, Novak remained optimistic about the future. “You just have to analyze and move forward. It was a good race,” he said. He plans to take the lessons from Marcialonga into the next competition. “Hopefully, I’ll be in a similar situation again. Then I’ll know what to do and what not to do.”

Even though Novak didn’t manage to win Marcialonga this time, there’s no doubt he will continue to be a strong contender in future races.

Taking Over the Lead – But Emphasizing the Importance of Big Races

Novak is one of Sweden’s top long-distance skiers. He currently ranks fifth in the Ski Classics standings and holds the yellow leader’s jersey in the series.

“If you perform well in the big races, you earn a lot of points,” Novak analyzed.

“I would rather win Vasaloppet and lose a lot of points in Orsa, maybe even lose the yellow jersey, than perform consistently across all races and not feel at my peak for Vasaloppet“, he admits.

Read also: Novak’s training strategy: Staying in shape without overtraining

Novak has Czech roots and spends some time in the country. Last autumn, he competed in the Lipnoloppet and, somewhat surprisingly, finished second behind German skier Thomas Bing. Now, he reveals that one of his major goals for the season is set in Central Europe.

“My focus is on Jizerská and Vasaloppet. Now, Jizerská is coming up, and I want to be in top shape. I’ll train hard for seven days to peak for Jizerská“, he concluded.